Yesterday in the MacNN forums, ghporter asks "is it worth upgrading from Snow Leopard to Lion?" read more here. Also yesterday one Senior User discovered they were having problems copying and pasting from e-mails and have turned to the forums for some advice.
Accompanying the just-released OS X 10.7.4 update, Apple has also posted several new versions of other products -- including Safari, Remote Desktop, the server version of Lion's Server Admin Tools and a security update for Snow Leopard users. The Safari and Remote Desktop updates apply to both Lion and Snow Leopard, and should be available through Software Update. The Safari update is available for both Mac and Windows users.
Following several weeks of developer testing, Apple has released the completed version of OS X 10.7.4. Now available though Lion's Software Update mechanism, the upgrade deals with several security, reliability and compatibility problems. Most notably it fixes a security issue in FileVault which could potentially expose a person's passwords in plain text.
OS X 10.7.3 contains a debug flag which makes system passwords readable, checks show. Depending on the system configuration, people who update to v10.7.3 may have a widely-viewable debug log file containing passwords for all users accessing a system. The passwords are stored in plain text, making for a potentially serious security risk.
Apple is now preparing a pair of Java 6 runtime updates for OS X 10.6 and 10.7 that will mark the last Apple-custom versions of Java, handing over all future development and responsibility for Java on the Mac platform directly to Oracle. Apple had already stopped shipping a default version of Java with new Macs beginning with the release of Lion last summer, but had made in-house versions available to Lion users as well as continued supporting the Snow Leopard version.
Earlier today, Apple posted a new developer build of OS X Lion 10.7.4 for both Client and Server editions, coming just one week after the previous update. In addition, the company has updated the last Developer Preview 3 of OS X 10.8, Mountain Lion, and also posted Developer Preview 4 of Xcode 4.4 for developers. The Mountain Lion update is notable for a new "Do Not Disturb" mode in the built-in Notifications Center, which may portend a similar feature in a future iOS version.
Today in the MacNN forums Moderator P started a thread discussing the release of the new Radeon 7000 Series GPUs in the thread titled "Ivy Bridge and Radeon 7000M", join in here. Also today forum goers converse about Lion performance problems in this thread started in the early hours of the morning.
Just ten days after the previous release of build 11E46, Apple has posted a later version of the upcoming 10.7.4 update for developers, listing no known issues. The developer-only 11E52 breaks the pattern of around two full weeks between updates, and features a version number smaller in difference than the previous release, which suggests that final release may be nearing. This is the fourth version of OS X 10.7.4 to be offered to developers for testing.
Microsoft quickly confirmed rumors and has posted preview versions of both Windows Vista/7/8 and OS X Lion desktop apps while curbing the reach of its cloud service. The software now lets users more directly organize their cloud storage, automatically syncing anything loaded into a SkyDrive folder and sorting its contents as though it were offline. The iOS app has also been updated (App Store to get native iPad support, including for the higher-resolution visuals of the new iPad along with deleting renaming, and moving files in the cloud.
Users of Intel Macs that have not, for one reason or another, yet upgraded to either Snow Leopard or Lion may be rewarded for their lethargy: an e-mail sent out to qualifying MobileMe customers offers them a free copy of Snow Leopard so that they can then upgrade to Lion and maintain their MobileMe account and address through iCloud. Respondent simply click on a special link to log into their MobileMe accounts and are directed to a registration form.
Apple late Friday followed up its anti-Flashback Java update with its own dedicated Flashback removal tool. The tool finds the "most common variants" of the exploit and will either say if it found and pulled any variant. If needed, it will ask for a full reboot to wipe the malware entirely.
Apple today released a new build of the forthcoming 10.7.4 for developers, asking them to focus on interactions with the App Store, graphics, e-mail, QuickTime, Screen Sharing and Time Machine. The new version, build 11E46, comes two weeks after the previous one (11E35) and barely a month since the first external beta (11E27). The new version has no known issues, and developers are asked to focus on the same areas as in the previous build.
Google's latest developer channel release for Chrome OS has revealed pressure to bring it back to more of a traditional desktop. A new window manager, Aura, now gives it a Windows-like taskbar ("shelf") and multiple windows, much like the conventional operating system it was hoping to avoid. A button on the taskbar now invokes a full-screen app launcher much like Apple's Launchpad in OS X Lion.
Avatron's Air Display update has been approved and added to the App Store ($10, iTunes), enabling users to take advantage of the new iPad's Retina display. Users who run the wireless display app from a Retina device can now enable the HiDPI display mode that had been hidden in Mac OS X Lion, bringing the maximum output resolution up to 2048x1536.
Today in the MacNN forums Mac Elite slider asks "can someone tell me what the weight of Apple's latest BT keyboard is" and has yet to find an answer. Yesterday Senior User MacNNUK reported an odd problem with the Safari icon in the dock being pixilated after upgrading to 10.7.3, join in here.
This week at Apple's online store save on refurbished Macs iPads and more. The bargain priced Mac mini with a 2.5GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive is now $699 after a $100 price cut. A $300 discount is offered on the refurb. 11.6-inch MacBook Air with a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and 128GB flash storage is now $799.
Apple is seeding a new beta of OS X 10.7.4 to developers, reports say. The build is listed as build 11E35, and release notes for the software claim "no known issues" at the moment. Apple is nevertheless asking developers to test several different components, including Mail, iCal, QuickTime, graphics, and the Mac App Store.
Yesterday in the MacNN forums dedicated MacNNer ClaraT started a thread asking if there was any downside to updating to iOS 5.1 on an iPhone 4S, click here to read more. Today the conversation continues in the thread titled "two sleeping questions" where members discuss the sleep function in OS X Lion.
Apple has posted a new version of Safari, v5.1.5. The update is a minor one, simply resolving a glitch that "could affect website usability" when running in 32-bit mode. Separate Windows, Lion, and Snow Leopard downloads are available.
A thread started earlier this month in the MacNN forums was brought into the spotlight again yesterday, sparking quite a lengthy conversation about "problems" with Lion, click here to read more. Moderator mindwaves is looking for the best way to preserve image quality when transfering photos from iPhoto 8 to an iPad 3, a solution has yet to be found.
Avatron has just detailed that its Air Display app ($10, iTunes) will be updated to support the new iPad's 2048x1536 resolution for its wireless secondary display technique. The update process did encounter challenges, however, as adding four times more pixels slowed frame rates. While resolving this problem, the Avatron programmers were able to improve the frame rates on older iOS devices, and especially the dual-core iPad 2 and iPhone 4S.
Apple today accidentally pushed a new app, iTunes Producer 2.6, out through OS X Lion's Software Update feature, AppleInsider remarks. Producer is used to submit content for sale on the iTunes Store, and is normally restricted to content publishers and/or people with access to the iTunes Connect service. The v2.6 update may simply have been flagged incorrectly on Apple's servers.
Apple has posted several new articles in its support database, including two that address specific issues. One deals with upgrading to Lion from Snow Leopard from a RAID volume, while the other explains some unexpected XSan Admin behavior when inconsistent or missing-name server records are used. XSan users also got a tutorial on advanced mounting options, while a fourth deals with restoring Lion Server from a Time Machine backup.
In addition to a second developer preview of Mountain Lion released earlier today, Apple has given developers the first external beta of OS X Lion 10.7.4. The 508MB delta, which is labelled build 11E27, would be the fourth maintenance update to OS X Lion. Release notes indicate only one known bug, but asks developers to focus testing on several different areas. Separately, the company also released a matching beta for OS X Lion Server.
Battlefront.com has announced the upcoming release of a Mac version of Combat Mission: Shock Force, its tactical ground combat simulation that includes both real-time and turn-based gameplay. The new Mac version is fully compatible with OS X 10.6 and higher, and includes the original base game as well as three expansion packs. The game will be available for both download, and mail delivery starting at $45 plus shipping and handling in 6-8 weeks. Meanwhile, pre-orders will start to be accepted in 1-2 weeks.
Late today Apple has updated almost all Epson printer drivers with built-in support for Snow Leopard and Lion, and has posted a minor update to its pro-photography tool Aperture to grant it the ability to delete photos from Photo Stream, an iCloud feature that can be set to wirelessly copy photos from mobile devices to desktop and notebooks and vice versa. The Epson update is number v2.9, while Aperture is now v3.2.3.
Apple is on the verge of releasing the first external beta of OS X 10.7.4, according to AppleInsider sources. An initial build is expected to reach a small group of developers "within days," followed by another one targeted at all Mac developers, likely by the end of the week. Although the exact contents of the update are a mystery, it's anticipated to be another maintenance release.
Following up on a promise from December, Intuit has now released a new version of Quicken 2007 (the last full version of Quicken for Mac) that has been re-engineered to be compatible with Mac OS X 10.7. The product is now called Quicken Mac 2007 OS X Lion Compatible and sells for $15. The full version of Quicken has a number of features not found in the stripped-down Quicken Essentials for Mac, which the company began offering two years ago.
Apple has released a small but significant Supplemental Update for OS X 10.7.3. Although details are vague, Apple does note that the patch fixes problems with restoring from a Time Machine backup. The file is a 24.55MB download, and should already be available through Lion's Software Update utility.
New digging in the recently launched Windows 8 Consumer Preview has suggested the number of versions could get more complicated. Windows 8 Beta found ten versions in the OS' registry, including an evaluation version of the enterprise copy, the necessary ARM edition, and a less clear Professional Plus.
Microsoft quietly posted word Thursday afternoon that the Windows 8 Consumer Preview had hit one million downloads in a day. The figure is rare for a beta and roughly matches Apple's first-day Lion downloads. Microsoft didn't say how many were unique users.
Apple has updated Software Update and its support website with a small update called iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0 which it says will fix "a graphics issue that will cause an iMac to hang under certain conditions" for Intel-based iMacs running OS X Lion. The bug apparently exists inside the firmware for the graphics card in recent iMacs, as the company issued a similar update last June.
Apple has issued an update over the weekend specifically for iMacs (late 2009 and newer) entitled Wi-Fi Update v1.0 that is said to correct an issue where the unit does not automatically re-connect to a known Wi-Fi network after waking from sleep. The update requires that users be running the latest version of Lion (10.7.3) and weighs in at 25.81MB. It's available for all supported OS X languages.
HP may have inadvertently spoiled Microsoft's plans for a simpler Windows 8 lineup after it posted a document for OS support with the future OS inside. The sheet lists just a basic Windows 8 as well as Professional and Enterprise editions. Apart from the necessary 32- and 64-bit splits, no mention was made of Home Basic, Home Premium, Starter, or other separate home versions that previous Windows versions have had in the past.
A new variant of the Flashback Trojan is infecting Macs, says security firm Intego. Dubbed Flashback.G, the malware is reported to use three different methods to try and infect a Mac. The first two involve Java vulnerabilities, which are stopped if a computer's Java installation is up to date. If a system has an outdated version of Java however, the Trojan may be able to install itself without a chance to intervene.
Microsoft partly confirmed recent rumors with an extensive breakdown of plans for SkyDrive in Windows 8. The service will have a fully Metro-native, touch-aware app in the new OS and will be integrated into the OS, letting any app load and save files to cloud storage. Sharing "charms" in the OS will let users share SkyDrive material directly instead of having to download and attach them first.
Apple stated Friday that the launch of OS X Mountain Lion would be truly download-only. The Mac maker briefed Pocket-lint that it wouldn't stock versions preloaded on USB drives like it has with the current Lion release. Offering a physical option was an "interesting test," but the Mac App Store was "just fine" in practice for getting a copy, Apple said.
The Messages app introduced alongside OS X Mountain Lion will become exclusive to the new OS after the current beta period has finished, French site Consomac says it has learned. Buried in text strings for the app is a future alert for users of the Lion-based beta. "Thank you for participating in the Messages Beta program. With the inclusion of Messages in OS X Mountain Lion, the Messages Beta program has ended," the notice reads. "To continue using Messages, please visit the Mac App Store and purchase OS X Mountain Lion."
Apple's Messages beta may have been a further clue as to Apple's possible plans for high-resolution Mac displays. Multiple images in the app package are designated "@2x," a new designation usually seen only in recent pre-release iOS code. Even the normally small chat tab icon for a contact is 82x82.
[Update: MacBook Pro eligibility corrected] Apple late today issued further EFI firmware updates to allow previous-generation MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMacs to access Lion Internet Recovery, a technology that lets users re-download and reinstall Lion when the hard drive containing the recovery partition has completely failed and no other backup medium is available. The models updated today include the MacBook Air (late 2010), the mid-2010 aluminum iMacs and the mid 2010 MacBook Pros.
Mac recovery specialist SubRosaSoft has updated its entire line of data recovery software, including FileSalvage, CameraSalvage and PodSalvage to version 7.5, now featuring improved search and recovery functions that improve the chances of recovering lost files. The company has also updated the packages to fully support Lion and additional foreign languages. SubRosaSoft offers a risk-free trial version to show if files are recoverable before buying.
Skulking in Apple's Mac OS X 10.7.3 update has raised possibilities that Apple's on-again, off-again high-DPI support may be more established in the final version. Art assets found for mouse pointers by Marc Edwards both look different and scale to large sizes without the usual pixelated look. One claim had a Mac mini using HDMI kick into the normally hidden HiDPI mode after 10.7.3 was installed.
Apple has temporarily solved problems with the CUI bug in the Mac OS X 10.7.3 update by changing the download users get. Anyone who checks Software Update, along with seeking the usual download, now gets the combo update to Lion (1.3GB, link may not work) instead. The full installer is known to work properly at the expense of a much larger file size.
Some OS X 10.7.3 users are reportedly suffering from an odd application crash bug. Affected people will see apps crash often, with the unusual twist of error messages that feature the word "CUI" stamped over them. A 9to5Mac source claims that the company has already sent out an email to a v10.7.3 test group, asking them if they've run into the problem and requesting bug reports if so.
Canon has finally updated its Canon EOS Utility to launch and work properly for users of Mac OS X Lion (10.7.x), alleviating a problem Lion users have had for months with the app. The program offers two main abilities to Canon EOS camera users: an Image Capture-like ability to selectively transfer pictures from the camera, as well as an option to remotely operate the camera from a user's computer using a supplied interface cable.
Apple on Wednesday afternoon posted Mac OS X 10.7.3 (release notes). The Lion upgrade adds several languages, including Catalan for Spaniards as well as Croatian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian. RAW photo compatibility has expanded to several new cameras, including the Nikon J1 and V1, Olympus' current PEN cameras, and current Sony Alpha and NEX cameras, such as the NEX-5N.
Taking note of a recent Forrester Research report that enterprises will spend 45 percent more on Macs and 68 percent more on iPads in the corporate sector compared to 2011, GroupLogic has updated its flagship ExtremeZ-IP program that allows for easy integration of Macs into existing Windows-based server environments. The new version adds full support for Lion and the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP), including Time Machine and OS X extended attributes.
Apple seeded a sixth OS X 10.7.3 beta to developers last night, build 11D46, reports note. The code is arriving roughly a week after 11D42, and contains no known issues. Because of this and the number of builds released already, 11D46 may be the last beta before v10.7.3 is released to the public.
Apple yesterday began seeding a fifth build of OS X 10.7.3 to developers, reports note. Listed as build 11D42, the code is arriving about three weeks after the distribution of the last beta. Developers are being asked to concentrate testing on five key components: Address Book, iCal, Mail, Spotlight, and Safari. A delta version of the update currently measures 989.75MB.
Microsoft on Wednesday sued British retailer Comet for allegedly committing mass piracy. It claimed the store made and sold 94,000 "counterfeit" copies of Windows XP and Vista as recovery discs. The sales were "unfair to customers," Microsoft's associate general counsel David Finn claimed, implying that customers didn't concern themselves with or know that the discs weren't from Microsoft.
